(Touch of Fire returns in Saturday’s Black Gold Stakes / Photo by Hodges Photography & Courtesy of the Fair Grounds)

From the Fair Grounds Media Team:

$100,000 Black Gold Headlines Saturday’s Five-Stakes Program at Fair Grounds

NEW ORLEANS (Feb. 25, 2026) – Saturday’s five-stakes program at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots is highlighted by the $100,000 Black Gold Stakes for open-company 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf. Four $100,000 events restricted to Louisiana-breds — the Red Camelia Stakes, the Edward J. Johnston Memorial Stakes, the Louisiana Stallion of the Year Star Guitar Stakes and the Louisiana Broodmare of the Year Charged Cotton Stakes — round out a marquee card showcasing the state’s breeding program across turf and dirt.

A pair of Triple Crown-nominated Juddmonte homebreds top the morning-line field of eight 3-year-olds, with Touch of Fire tabbed as the 3-1 favorite over stablemate Swift Blade at 7-2. Both Brad Cox trainees exit local maiden-breaking wins at the Black Gold distance, each earning an 82 Beyer Speed Figure.

The lone stakes winner in the field is Don’t Tell My Wife Stable’s Casa Cielo, who as a juvenile scored the Kitten’s Joy at Colonial Downs for trainer Keith Desormeaux.

The Black Gold is set as Race 8, the penultimate leg of the all-stakes Late Pick 4. Keeping to post race tradition, the winning jockey will visit Black Gold’s grave in the infield to lay the ceremonial wreath.

The state-bred stakes action includes two pairs of sibling stakes. Saturday’s card opens with the $100,000 Red Camelia at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, with Rose Mark, Slam Dunk Racing and Dennis Bailey’s three-time stakes winner Rising Inflation tabbed as the 4-5 morning-line favorite in a field of seven older females. The $100,000 Edward J. Johnston Memorial Stakes, attracting 10 older males, is led by Roger Smith’s Louisiana Champions Day Turf Stakes winner Allnight Moonlight. The Edward J. Johnston Memorial will go as Race 6.

With eight sophomore males signed on, the $100,000 Louisiana Stallion of the Year Star Guitar Stakes at 1 mile, 70 yards is headlined by Three Diamonds Farm’s Triple Crown-nominated Creole Chrome. The Joe Sharp trainee will stretch out to two turns for the first time while facing seven rivals. The sibling $100,000 Louisiana Broodmare of the Year Charged Cotton Stakes is led by Bradley Kent and Ken Reimer’s Braken Poppa, as the Steve Asmussen-trained filly seeks three consecutive victories.

First post for the nine-race card is 12:45 p.m. CT.

Complete fields for all five stakes, including jockey, trainer and morning line, are as follows:

Race 1 $100,000 Red Camelia Stakes:

Highly Wicked  (Marecilno Pedroza Jr., Sam David Jr, 5-2)
Kalil (Jareth Loveberry, Jeff Delhomme, 8-1)
Tommie G (Colby Hernandez, Patricia West, 6-1)
Saved by Grace (Kevin Roman, Juan Larrosa, 12-1)
Jus Press Star (Sofia Vives, Joe Duhon, 20-1)
Rising Inflation (Isaac Castillo, Jonathan Wong, 4-5)
Island Gold (Carlos Perez, Juan Larrosa, 15-1)

Race 6 $100,000 Edward J. Johnston Memorial Stakes:

Sippin On Gin (Axel Concepcion, Bret Calhoun, 6-1)
Allnight Moonlight (Tim Thornton, Sam Breaux, 3-1)
Cajun Mitole (Isaac Castillo, Brett Brinkman, 5-1)
Good and Stout (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Carrol Castille, 20-1)
Wicked Secret (Devin Magnon, Zeke Zeringue Jr., 8-1)
Fran’s Star (Emanuel Nieves, Shane Wilson, 8-1)
Benoit (James Graham, Joe Duhon, 20-1)
Letmikefigureitout (Jensen Melancon, Alan Klanfer, 8-1)
Boss of All Bosses (Ben Curtis, Mike Maker, 8-1)
Laser Clad (Brian Hernandez Jr., Keith Bourgeois, 20-1)

Race 7 $100,000 Louisiana Stallion of the Year Star Guitar Stakes:

Wherethehitsare (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., A. M. Stall Jr., 5-1)
Scar Ship (Kevin Roman, Ricky Courville, 3-1)
Mogumbeaux (Tommy Pompell, Brett Brinkman, 12-1)
Creole Chrome (Jose Ortiz, Joe Sharp, 5-2)
Bubby (Sofia Vives, Sam David Jr., 5-1)
Mor Force (Isaac Castillo, J. J. Gelner, 4-1)
Chariot (Harry Hernandez, Shane Wilson, 20-1)
Thebabeslayer (James Graham, Steve Asmussen, 8-1)

Race 8 $100.000 Black Gold Stakes:

Black Hornet (Declan Cannon, Brendan Walsh, 8-1)
Ramblin (Axel Concepcion, Bobby Barnett, 8-1)
Swift Blade (Jareth Loveberry, Brad Cox, 7-2)
McCready (Tim Thornton, Hugh Robertson, 8-1)
Touch of Fire (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Brad Cox, 3-1)
Beekman Street (Brian Hernandez Jr., Mike Stidham, 4-1)
Sunrise (Ben Curtis, Brendan Walsh, 8-1)
Casa Cielo (James Graham, Keith Desormeaux, 6-1)

Race 9 $100,000 Louisiana Broodmare of the Year Charged Cotton Stakes:

Fade to Gold (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Tom Amoss, 6-1)
Tied the Knot (Jareth Loveberry, Justin Jeansonne, 15-1)
Thrill Seeker (Axel Concepcion, Joe Sharp, 2-1)
Braken Poppa (Brian Hernandez Jr., Steve Asmussen, 8-5)
Chicka Chick (Emanuel Nieves, Danny Pish, 20-1)
Liteupthenite (Isaac Castillo, J. J. Gelner, 6-1)
Jet Ruckus (Tim Thornton, Alan Klanfer, 15-1)
Complete Wrap (Jensen Melancon, Allen Landry, 12-1)
Mischievous Cindy (Mitchell Murrill, Joey Foster, 15-1)